Travel can disrupt your gut, but not for long
Who hasn't experienced intestinal troubles while traveling? Beyond the well-known discomforts such as diarrhea and bloating, journeys can affect our intestinal microbiota and lead to the acquisition of new genes, some of which are linked to antimicrobial resistance. Fortunately for us, our microbiota demonstrates great resilience, and these changes are resolved within 3 months.
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You may love exploring new destinations, but did you know that your international adventures can also impact the microscopic world within your gut? A fascinating new study 1 reveals that travel can temporarily alter your gut microbiome and increase antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). However, the good news is that these changes tend to be reversible for healthy individuals.
What is antimicrobial resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, or other microbes develop the ability to resist the effects of medications designed to kill or stop their growth. This can make infections harder to treat and poses a serious global health threat.
The bounce-back effect
The research team followed 89 healthy travelers from Guangzhou, China, collecting stool samples before their trips, immediately after their return, and three months later. This long-term approach allowed them to track how the gut microbiome and ARGs respond over time.
The findings were remarkable: more than half of the travelers acquired at least one new ARG during their journeys. Immediately after travel, there was a significant spike. However, within three months, these resistance genes were shed, and the gut microbiome reverted to its pre-travel state, showcasing the incredible resilience of our inner ecosystems.
Traveling shapes our lives...but also our microbiota and antibiotic resistance
The resilience of your gut microbiome
Your gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that play a crucial role in your overall health. This study demonstrates that while travel can temporarily disrupt this delicate balance, 2 the gut microbiome has an amazing ability to bounce back to its original state in healthy individuals.
A "resilient microbiota" or "resilient microbiome" refers to the ability of the community of microorganisms living in the gut (or another part of the body) to recover and return to its original, healthy state after being disrupted or disturbed. Specifically, it means that despite changes or perturbations to the microbiota caused by factors like diet, antibiotics, illness, or as shown in this study - travel, the microbiota has the capacity to bounce back and re-establish its previous, balanced composition and function.
Travel health risks
While exploring new destinations is thrilling, let's not forget about the potential souvenirs you might bring back – traveler's diarrhea, food poisoning, respiratory infections... Talk about memorable mementos! Jokes aside, these travel bugs are no laughing matter. It's crucial to take precautions such as consulting a travel health professional (they're like personal travel bodyguards for your immune system), getting recommended vaccinations, and practicing good hygiene. A little prevention can go a long way in ensuring your adventures are filled with happy memories, not feverish hallucinations.
World AMR Awareness Week
World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated every year from November 18 to 24. In 2023, the theme chosen was “Preventing antimicrobial resistance together,” as in 2022. In fact, this resistance represents a threat not only to human beings, but also to animals, plants and the environment.
The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote best practices, based on the "One Health" concept, among all stakeholders (the general public, doctors, veterinarians, breeders and farmers, decision-makers, etc.) in order to reduce the emergence and spread of resistant infections.
